


Waiting for You

by snoflakesun



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, Hotarubi no Mori e AU, M/M, No Beta, gon is hotaru, killua is gin, kind of, not really angst, story told in memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-18 23:24:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20647430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snoflakesun/pseuds/snoflakesun
Summary: Gon runs into the forest as a child, and meets a spirit he won't forget.(Hotarubi no Mori E au)





	Waiting for You

**Author's Note:**

> this was very very rushed LOL i barely even re-read any parts of it so if there are any mistakes im sORRY  
hope you enjoy!!!

“Make sure you’re safe,” Mito put her hands on Gon’s shoulders.

“Of course, Mito-san!” Gon smiled. “I’m just going into the forest. I’ll be back soon.”

Gon adjusted the backpack strap as he walked down the forest path. _I first met him when I was six,_ he thought as he hummed mindlessly. The sky was a bright blue, treetops swaying slightly in the wind. He looked up, a small smile on his face.

-

_Where am I?_ Gon thought as he swung his head around, looking for a clearing that would lead him out of the forest. He had been wandering for hours, and the summer sun beat down relentlessly.

_“Be careful!” _Mito had warned him. _“That forest is the forest of the mountain god. There are spirits that wander around there, so don’t stay for too long.”_

His throat was dry and he felt tired. Gon sighed as he sat down against a tree trunk, folding his arms on top of his legs. Perhaps he would have a better chance of searching for an exit during the night. Cicadas buzzed loudly, and the occasional rustling of leaves faded into background noise as he attempted to rest.

“Hey, you,” a voice caused him to snap his head up.

He looked around, but he didn’t spot anyone. Gon frowned. Was his mind playing tricks on him? But, if it was, wouldn’t he have heard the voice much earlier? He decided to look once again, curiosity getting the best of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted someone. The person was wearing a cat mask that covered the entirety of their face, but they were wearing simple, traditional clothes. A few tufts of white hair poked out from behind the mask, and they peered out from behind a tree.

“Why are you crying?” The person tilted their head. Their voice was muffled by their mask.

Gon could tell from their voice that the person was male. The other kid tilted his head, and Gon beamed. “Another person! I’m saved!”

He ran toward the cat-masked boy, but the other stepped gracefully out of the way, causing Gon to tumble onto the grass. “Ouch,” he mumbled into the grass before sitting up and shaking a few leaves out of his hair.

“Sorry,” the boy responded, his tone slightly apologetic. “You’re human, right? If a human touches me, I disappear.”

“If a human…” Gon repeated slowly in confusion. “You’re not… human?”

“I live in the forest,” the boy responded vaguely.

“Oh! Then, you’re a spirit, right?” Gon grinned. “But, what do you mean by disappear?”

The spirit didn’t respond, and Gon stared back for a few moments. Cicadas buzzed from the treetops as Gon waited for his answer. He jumped to his feet, reaching for the spirit. But once again, the spirit stepped backward, Gon’s fingers catching nothing but air.

He tried again and again, but each time the spirit would move out of the way. The spirit picked up a branch, hitting Gon’s head with the stick. Gon fell backward, losing his balance. “Oof,” Gon propped himself up with his arms. “You’re really not human, huh…”

“You don’t even know what disappear means? To disappear means to be obliterated,” the spirit said, turning his head upward to face the sun.“That’s the spell the mountain god put on me. If a human touches me, then that’s the end. I’ll be gone forever.”

Gon sat up, suddenly feeling very guilty. “I’m sorry,” he bowed his head slightly.

“It’s fine,” the spirit sighed, shoving the stick in Gon’s face. “Here. Grab the other end; I’ll lead you out.”

“Really? Thank you!” Gon grabbed the branch and stood up, dusting his clothes off with his free hand.

“It’s nothing.”

The two of them walked slowly. Gon made idle chatter while they walked, talking about his aunt Mito-san and how they lived faraway but decided to visit the mountain this year. “You’re so small for a spirit!” Gon exclaimed.

“You’re small for a human,” the spirit shot back.

“That’s because I’m only six!” Gon pouted. “There aren’t a lot of tall six-year-olds.”

“I’m six too.”

“No way!”

“Why not? I’m basically the same height as you, anyway.”

“But you’re so smart!”

“Wh-what? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Hehe,” Gon smiled, turning to face the forest path again.

The two of them walked in silence for a while, the stone path becoming more and more prominent. After a while, they reached a small shrine, stone decorations surrounding the tall pillars. “You aren’t afraid,” the spirit broke the silence.

“Afraid of what?” Gon asked.

“Never mind.”

The spirit suddenly stopped, letting go of the branch. “If you keep going, you’ll get to the mountain path.”

Gon turned around. “Are you going to stay here?”

“Yeah.”

“Forever?” Gon’s eyes lit up. “Does that mean if I come back here, we can meet again?”

“This is where the mountain god and forest spirits live. Step one foot inside, and you’ll lose your way forever. You shouldn’t come here,” the spirit’s voice turned cold. “Isn’t that what the villagers say?”

A soft breeze caused the papers that were tied onto the shrine to shift. Gon broke into a smile. “I forgot to introduce myself! I’m Gon! What’s your name?”

The spirit didn’t respond, standing silently as the wind ran through his hair. The mask covered his face completely, so Gon was unable to read the boy’s expression. “I’ll be back tomorrow with a thank-you present!” He promised, waving at the spirit.

He stayed for a moment longer before stepping backward and turning around to run along the forest path. His feet thudded along the earthy floor, and he heard the spirit speak once more. “It’s Killua.”

Gon skidded to a stop, turning around only to see that the spirit, Killua, had disappeared. The earth was silent and the wind had stopped. “I’ll bring you something tomorrow, Killua!” Gon yelled at the forest before following the trail that led down the mountain.

He followed the trail, walking slowly as he ran his hands through the wheat. A figure approached from the other side, and Gon recognized Mito’s figure almost immediately. “Mito-san!” He waved as he ran toward his aunt.

“Gon!” Her voice was relieved, but she was frowning. “Do you know how dangerous the forest is? What would happen if you got hurt?”

“Sorry…” Gon looked at his feet.

“Jeez,” Mito sighed fondly, patting his head. “I’m just glad you’re not hurt.”

Gon held onto Mito’s hand as they walked back to Gon’s great-grandmother’s house. “Mito-san, is it true that there are spirits living in the forest?”

The setting sun was low in the sky as the two of them made their way down the mountain. “Who knows,” Mito responded. “That’s what they say. When your dad was little, he would always go into the forest to try and meet spirits. I don’t know if he ever met one, though.”

“Grandma Abe once said that her friends once attended a summer festival in the forest. However, no human would hold a festival in a forest. So then, they must have snuck into a festival for spirits.”

Gon listened with wide eyes, his aunt smiling slightly as she led him through the wheat fields. “Why? Did you meet one today?”

“Actually, I think I did!” Gon grinned as he told his aunt about Killua, a spirit who resembled a human.

That night, Gon was unable to fall asleep. He tossed and turned for hours, pulling the blanket up to his chin as he stared at the ceiling. Killua’s voice repeated in his mind, warning him not to enter the forest.

-

“You actually came,” Killua leaned forward from where he was sitting. “I didn’t think you’d come.”

“You…” Gon stared at Killua in surprise. “You waited for me!”

He ran toward Killua, his arms outstretched when he felt a stick hit his head and he fell backward again, dropping the bag that was in his hands. “You don’t learn, do you?” Killua’s voice was teasing.

“Hehe… sorry. I was just excited…” Gon rubbed the back of his neck.

Killua sighed as he jumped down from the top of the stairs, his feet making no sound as he landed. “It’s hot,” he complained. “Let’s go in the forest; it’s cooler.”

“Okay!” Gon grabbed the bag as he followed Killua into the forest.

They walked past the shrine and up multiple flights of stairs, into the forest that blocked everything in view. “I brought some snacks,” Gon held one out to Killua. “A thank you gift.”

“Oh,” Killua took it into his hands, opening the package. “Thanks.”

“No need!” Gon opened his own, letting the wrapper fall back into the bag.

The two of them crossed a small bridge, river water flowing beneath their feet. The forest on the other side was much quieter and cooler, sunlight barely peeking past the dense layer of leaves. A grey-purple haze floated near the ground, and Gon smelled the scents of other spirits.

He constantly felt another presence, often turning around but never finding any other person or animal in the vicinity. Suddenly, a blob of black slithered onto a tree, an eye forming out of nowhere. Gon jumped slightly, surprised by its appearance.

“Kil, is that a human child?” It’s voice was cold. “Can I kill it?”

“No!” Killua responded quickly. “Gon’s my friend.”

“Is that so?” The voice sounded disbelieving. “Human child, if you touch Kil’s skin, I’ll kill you.”

“Leave us alone,” Killua’s voice was commanding, and the blob slithered away into darkness, disappearing.

“Sorry,” he sighed once the spirit was gone, turning to Gon.

Gon was grinning, and he turned to Killua. “You think of me as your friend?”

“Shut up! That was-“

“I think of you as my friend too! You’re the first friend that I’ve made who’s around my age!”

Killua looked away, starting to walk deeper into the forest. “You’re my first friend too,” Killua said quietly.

“Hey, Killua,” Gon asked as he trailed behind the spirit. “Why do you wear a mask?”

Killua stiffened for a moment. “No particular reason,” he responded.

“Hmm,” Gon hummed as he clasped his hands behind his back. “Then, I’ll tell you about myself!”

“Why?”

“Because I want to!”

“You’re weird.”

Gon laughed as the two of them emerged from the forest, walking into a clearing illuminated by the sunlight.

-

_I went back to the forest every day._ Gon thought, watching a few birds fly overhead. _I played around the mountain for the entire summer. Even though it was silly, I had a lot of fun. _

He sighed as he climbed up a tree, sitting on one of the lower branches to rest in the shade for a little bit. _I hope Killua had fun too._

-

“I brought cards today!” Gon swung his backpack over his shoulder, catching the pouch in his hands. “Do you know how to play?”

“No,” Killua leaned forward, looking at the box curiously. “Teach me?”

Gon grinned, opening the pack and letting the cards spill onto the grass. “What do you want to play? I know a lot of games…”

-

“I’ll get you!” Killua lunged toward Gon with a stick, but Gon rolled out of the way.

“Not if I get you first!” Gon laughed, running away to climb up a tree.

“Heh, you think you’re better than me?” Killua followed him up, and the two of them spent their afternoon chasing each other across the treetops.

“Let’s take a break,” Gon lay on the grass, panting. “I’m way too tired.”

Killua poked him with the stick before sitting down next to him. “I win.”

Gon stuck out his tongue. “I’ll win next time.”

“We’ll see about that.”

-

Gon hummed a song as he picked a few flowers, taking them into his hands and deftly wrapping the stems around each other. The sky was a bright blue with a gentle breeze, and clouds floated lazily overhead. “Ah, done!” He lifted the flower crown upward. “Killua-“

When Gon turned around, he saw the other boy in the grass, his hands clasped together on his stomach. By the steady breathing, Gon guessed that he was asleep. _Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen Killua’s face…_

He leaned forward slowly, his fingers hesitant to lift the mask that rested on the spirit’s face. _It should be fine to touch the mask, right?_

Gon set the flower crown by Killua’s head before slowly lifting Killua’s mask. There was a moment of silence as a gust of wind blew past them, a few stray leaves flung into the air. Killua didn’t have any abnormal features; he looked like a regular boy who was asleep.

Killua opened his eyes slowly, Gon catching sight of bright blue eyes. He let out a gasp of surprise as he shoved the mask back on Killua’s face. “Ah, sorry!”

“That hurt,” Killua complained, bringing his hands to his face. “Attacking someone while they’re asleep, isn’t that kind of rude?”

Gon crossed his arms, pouting. “But you were pretending to sleep, weren’t you?”

Killua sat up, leaning on one of his arms. “I looked like a normal person, didn’t I?”

“Yeah,” Gon agreed. “So… why do you wear that mask?”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t look like a spirit, right?”

Killua’s voice was quiet and unsteady, and Gon swallowed harshly. He picked up the flower crown by his side, standing up and dropping it on top of Killua’s mask. “That’s okay, because I know you’re a spirit!”

“You’re not the only human who comes to the forest,” Killua said in response, his voice normal again. “Other people won’t know that I’m a spirit.”

“Oh.”

“Let’s go,” Killua stood up. “It’s getting late.”

Gon followed silently.

The two descended the stone stairs, sunlight peeking through the leaves. “Killua,” Gon started hesitantly. “I won’t be able to come here tomorrow. I told you about it before, right? Since I’m only staying at great-grandma Abe’s place for the summer. I have to go home tomorrow.”

Killua walked forward without responding, and Gon sighed. Killua halted on one of the steps, not turning around. “But you’ll be able to come back next year, right?”

Gon smiled. “Yeah!”

-

_Because of Killua, I started looking forward to summer,_ Gon thought as he watched two squirrels chase each other down the tree. _Killua waited for me every year._

-

The next year that Gon returned, nothing much had changed except Gon’s clothes, and both of them had grown taller. Killua led Gon through the forest, listening as Gon told him about what had happened during the school year.

The two halted when a tree spirit reached out, wrapping its hand around Killua. “Killua, it’s dangerous. That’s a human child.”

“I won’t harm him!” Gon said defensively. “I wouldn’t hurt a friend!”

The tree spirit let go of Killua, slowly backing away. “Please, don’t touch him.”

“Of course I won’t!” Gon smiled.

Killua continued to move forward, and Gon looked around at the spirits that gathered as they walked. _Spirits can touch him, huh…_ He thought to himself.

-

_Two summers passed, then three._

-

“Gon, where did you go?” Killua called out, his voice slightly worried. “Gon?”

“Boo!” Gon’s face popped out of the branches, his body hanging upside down from one of them.

“What are you doing?” Killua asked, surprised.

“I wanted to see your surprised face,” Gon laughed as he pulled himself up. He scratched the back of his neck, his face apologetic. “But…”

His voice trailed off, and the smile slid off his face. “At least when I’m around, could you take off your mask every once in a while?”

“Sure,” Killua lifted the bottom of his mask up. “But is there a reason?”

Gon opened his mouth to respond, but the branch he was sitting on splintered in half, and Gon felt his body falling toward the ground.

“Gon!” Killua ran forward, his arms outstretched.

Gon’s eyes widened as he watched Killua run forward, wanting to tell the spirit not to touch him. Luckily, Killua retracted his arms just in time, and Gon’s body landed safely in a bush.

“That was close,” Killua sighed.

“Yeah,” Gon lay upside down on the bush before sliding onto the ground. “But, I’m glad.”

He moved so that he was sitting on his legs. He looked up, smiling sadly. “Hey, Killua. No matter what, don’t touch me, okay?”

Killua didn’t respond as tears pricked at Gon’s eyes. “No matter what! Promise me that, okay?”

If Gon cried that day, no one knew about it.

-

_The next summer, and the summer after that, I visited the forest. _Gon jumped out of the tree, landing on his feet and watching a cloud of dust rise up from the ground.

-

Gon slipped on his uniform, tying the tie securely around his neck before slipping on his shoes. “I’m leaving!” He called to his great-grandmother before running down the path toward the mountain.

He ran as fast as he could, seeing the familiar shrine pillar rise up in front of him. “Killua, Killua! Look, I’m a fifth grader now!”

“Oh?” Killua walked forward. “I’m still taller than you, though.”

Gon stuck out his tongue. “I’ll grow taller! Just you watch!”

“I’ll be waiting for that day,” Killua started up the stairs. “Let’s go.”

_Huh?_ Gon thought as he followed Killua’s back.

He looked at Killua’s mask as they walked, thoughts weighing heavily on his mind. “What is it?” Killua asked. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Nothing!” Gon looked away, his face slightly red.

“Even though I’m in middle school now, a lot of my elementary school friends are there too, so it doesn’t feel like much has changed,” Gon commented off-handedly.

He continued to talk about middle school as they walked through the forest, Gon explaining excitedly about new concepts that he learned.

-

“Here,” Gon placed the rectangular sheet of paper in Killua’s hands. “Hold the kite up like this.”

“Why?” Killua lifted the kite above his head.

“Because that’s how you fly a kite!” Gon held the string in his hands. “When I start running, let go of it, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Here I go!” Gon started running in the direction opposite of Killua, tugging the kite lightly out of his hands.

“Whoa!” Killua looked up at it, amazed. “That’s cool!”

“I know right?” Gon grinned as he ran back, pulling the kite behind him. “Here.”

Gon handed the string to Killua, who was careful not to make skin contact. Killua looked up to where the kite was soaring high in the sky, its tail swaying in the wind.

_We’re both changing,_ Gon thought to himself as they started walking back toward the shrine. _As the years go by…_

Killua stopped for a moment, a butterfly landing on his cat mask. Gon turned around, catching sight of Killua lifting his mask, a slight smile on his face as a few more butterflies danced around him. _His eyes are so pretty,_ Gon looked to where Killua was staring at the sky, the mask in his hand that was by his side. _Killua… Killua is so pretty._

-

“Gon, come eat some watermelon,” his great-grandmother called from outside. “It’s very sweet this year.”

Gon sat up, pushing open the screen door and spotting his great-grandmother on the other end of the patio. He walked to where she was sitting, taking a slice of watermelon before sitting down and letting his feet hang off the edge. “It’s so hot,” he complained, fanning himself with a paper fan.

“It will be a cold winter,” she said, putting down a watermelon rind. “Every year, when it is extremely hot during the summer, it becomes extremely cold in the winter.”

“Really?” Gon kicked his legs.

“Mm,” she nodded. “They say that the coldness could freeze the mountain god himself.”

“I see,” Gon looked up at the sky, thinking of a certain white-haired spirit.

“A scarf?” Killua held the cloth in his hands, tilting his head to the side.

“That’s right!” Gon grinned, clasping his hands behind his back. “I made it with the help of Grandma Abe-san! Use it during the winter! It’ll keep you warm.”

“I see,” Killua played with the scarf, running his fingers along the material. “Thank you, Gon.”

Gon broke into a grin. “I’ll see you next year!”

-

“Gon-san. Gon-san!”

Gon blinked, turning away from the window to see Zushi pulling his backpack over his shoulders. “Class ended. You’re the last one.”

“Oh!” Gon moved to grab his bag. “Thanks, Zushi.”

Zushi’s eyes softened. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Winter passed slowly; school was in session, and he attended it every day. The streets were filled with students when he left school, and sometimes a few cars would roll down the road. The air was freezing, and Gon had to wear thicker clothes every day.

It was hard for him to sleep at night, knowing that Killua was out there, probably freezing. The other boy didn’t seem to have any other clothes than the usual robes, and those weren’t very thick. Gon pulled the blanket up to his chin, the thick comforter surrounding his body.

The next day, his mind was wandering as he walked to school. He slipped on a small patch of ice, crashing into one of the girls. “Ah, sorry,” Gon rubbed the back of his head, pushing himself up to his feet and offering his hand to help the girl up.

“It’s no problem,” she smiled back, taking his hand and letting him pull her up. “I should’ve been watching where I was going.”

Gon offered her a small smile before letting her hand go. He let out a sigh as his mind started to wander again. _I wonder what Killua’s doing._

On a faraway mountain, Killua watched as his breath fogged in the cold air. His mask was discarded by his side, and a bright green scarf was wrapped around his neck.

-

Gon climbed up the familiar steps, the stone carvings the exact same as the year before. Not that they ever change, though. He ran toward the shrine, spotting Killua in the distance. “Killua!” He called out, waving at the spirit.

“Gon!” Killua jumped down from the top of the shrine, landing gracefully. “Is that your new uniform?”

“Yeah,” Gon grinned.

“It’s ugly,” Killua teased, his voice fond. “You’re already in high school, huh.”

“If you went to school, you’d be in high school too!” Gon pointed out. “We’re the same age after all.”

“Whatever,” Killua walked toward the forest, Gon hot on his heels.

“It’s already been eight years,” Gon pointed out as they stopped at a lake. “I can’t believe it’s been that long since I first met you.”

“Oh?” Killua teased. “Why, you want to be hit with a stick again?”

“No way!”

Killua laughed, and Gon listened to the laughter that echoed over the forest. “Hey, Killua,” he looked at the spirit. “After I graduate, I’ll look for a job here. Then, I can be with you more often.”

“You’re so embarrassing,” Killua looked away. “Don’t you ever feel shame for saying those kinds of things?”

“No, why?”

“You…”

“It’s the truth, though!” Gon stuck his tongue out. “Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend more time with their best friend?”

“Gon,” Killua said suddenly, his voice serious. “I have… something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not a spirit,” Killua looked out toward the lake, where small ripples of waters formed as the wind blew gently. “But, I’m no longer human, either.”

“It seems I was abandoned here when I was a child, and I was taken in by the forest. I was supposed to die then, but the mountain god appeared and cast a spell on me for me to continue living. In exchange, I was to stay here forever. I’m basically like a ghost, you know,” Killua’s voice was quiet. “Gon, it’s okay if you forget about me. My body is very weak, since it’s only maintained by magic. And if a human touches it… well, I’ll disappear.”

“Something that disappears when a human touches it, huh,” Gon looked at Killua thoughtfully. “Like, snow, right?”

“Huh?”

“You know, Killua, I thought about you during the winter,” Gon smiled. “During autumn and spring too.”

“Gon, you’re so embarrassing!” Killua broke out of his serious demeanor, but Gon’s gentle smile didn’t fade.

“Killua, don’t forget about me,” Gon clasped his hands together. “Time may separate us one day. But until then, let’s stay together, okay?”

Killua mumbled something incomprehensible, before looking down. Gon could see faint traces of a blush on his cheeks where the mask did not cover. “…fine.”

-

“Spirit festival?”

“No, it’s a summer festival held by spirits,” Killua retorted.

“What’s the difference?” Gon complained.

“The nuance is totally different!” Killua jabbed a finger in Gon’s direction. “You don’t even know what that means, do you?”

Gon grinned sheepishly. The two of them were sitting on rocks, fishing under the afternoon sun.

“I thought you’d be too scared when we were little,” Killua looked at him. “But we’re both older now, so it should be okay. That is, if you want to go.”

“Of course!” Gon jumped up. “I’d love to go to the festival with you, Killua!”

“You-!”

“What time do I need to meet you?” Gon clapped his hands together excitedly. “We’re going to have a lot of fun, aren’t we?”

“Yeah,” Killua sighed fondly. “Can you meet at our usual place at eight? It’s at night so I understand if you can’t…”

“I’ll be there! But… a festival held by spirits sound a little bit… strange, doesn’t it?”

“Don’t worry,” Killua lifted his mask, revealing his piercing blue eyes. “It doesn’t seem that much different from a human festival. Besides, it’s supposed to imitate the human’s summer festival. Besides, I’ll protect you.”

“Killua!” Gon grinned. “Ah, I’d hug you right now if I could!”

“Do it,” Killua’s voice was even, and Gon froze in place. “Seriously.”

-

Lanterns lit up a pathway to the festival, its lights reflecting off the water. The sound of footsteps sounded on the bridge as spirits crossed to the festival grounds, some of the mothers calling for their children. Kids leaned over a large basin of water, a few koi fish swimming around. Stalls lined the streets, lanterns criss-crossing above. Street food and delicacies were sold on the streets, and some kids ran down the road, accidentally bumping into others.

“Wow, it really is like a human festival,” Gon smiled.

“Isn’t that what I told you?” Killua shrugged. “Everyone here is disguised as a human. They say sometimes a human unknowingly gets mixed in.”

“I’ve heard that too,” Gon replied, looking away when Killua looked at him curiously. “Let’s go explore!”

“Hold on,” Killua pulled out a piece of cloth from his sleeves. “Tie this around your wrist. You’ll get lost if you go out on your own.”

“Okay,” Gon grabbed the cloth, wrapping it around his wrist. “It’s like we’re on a date.”

“Date?” Killua’s voice betrayed his embarrassment. “Well… if you want it to be, it can be one.”

“Really? Then, we’re on a date!”

“You dumbass, you really have no shame, do you?”

The two of them wandered around the festival, doing activities that caught their eyes. “Look!” Gon pointed upward, the two of them watching as a few fireworks exploded into the night sky, painting the pitch black sky with colors.

“Killua, come over here!” Gon pulled Killua along, looking at pinwheels and masks.

A vendor passed them a swab of cotton candy, the sugar shifting and moving toward the sky. “Woah,” Gon watched as a few other cotton candy blobs floated into the sky.

The two of them watched two spirits perform something that looked similar to a dragon dance, only to be interrupted as a few kids ran into the middle of the circle. In the distance, a large bonfire was lit, branches stacked as high as the lanterns bursting into flame.

“That was fun, Killua!” Gon said excitedly as the two of them walked along the bank of the river, away from the commotion. “We should go next year too!”

“If that’s what you want,” Killua said. “It’s not like I have anything better to do, anyway.”

“I wish we could be together the entire year!” Gon looked up at the sky, raising one hand, palm toward the stars. “We could have a lot of fun!”

Killua stopped walking, taking off his mask. He placed it gently on Gon’s face, before leaning in to press a kiss against the mask. “Gon,” Killua said, smiling slightly. “I always have fun when I’m with you.”

They continued to walk, Gon keeping Killua’s mask on. _He… probably won’t be coming anymore,_ Gon thought to himself, then thought about the shrine, and the number of times he had seen Killua sitting on top of it, his legs swinging over the edge.

A kid ran past them, a voice shouting from behind. “Wait for me!”

The second kid bumped into Killua, apologizing as he ran past. The kid clasped Killua’s hand in apology before running off, leaving the two teenagers alone. Gon watched them go, smiling slightly before realizing that there was a blue light emitting from something next to him.

“Killua?” Gon’s voice was panicked. “Was that boy… a human?”

“I guess so,” Killua sighed, looking to where light was shining from his fingertips.

“Killua…” Tears were edging around Gon’s eyes as he ran toward the other boy. “Don’t go!”

“It’s not like I have a choice, Gon,” Killua’s voice was bitter. “I’ll wait for you.”

Gon wrapped his arms around Killua’s waist, his tears staining Killua’s clothes. “I’ll catch up to you soon,” Gon promised.

“Take your time,” Killua smiled, relaxing slightly. “It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

“Killua!” Gon cried, squeezing his eyes shut as light encased the spirit and Killua’s body shattered into a thousand pieces, drifting toward the sky.

_Killua, I’m glad to have met you,_ he thought to himself as he picked up Killua’s cat mask, holding it close to his chest. _Wait for me._

Killua’s words echoed in his mind, _“I’ll wait for you.”_

**Author's Note:**

> i wanted to give it a happier ending but i literally could not think of anything...  
come talk to me on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/snoflakesun)!


End file.
